Savannah Marshall, the IBF, WBA, and WBO Super Middleweight Boxing World Champion will make her first mixed martial arts appearance on Saturday, Jun. 8 at Utilita Arena in Newcastle, UK with the PFL.
Savannah Marshall in the PFL
Savannah Marshall’s transition to MMA will be in the Women’s Lightweight division. Born in Newcastle, Marshall has an impressive record in boxing, including many knockouts. Her debut adds depth to PFL’s women’s division, which also features Claressa Shields, a rival of Marshall in boxing, among others.
The 32-year-old athlete has made a significant mark in women’s boxing, particularly in the super middleweight division. Marshall has an extensive amateur career, in which she won the gold medal at the 2012 World Championships in Qinhuangdao, China.
Marshall turned professional in 2017 and was able to capture titles such as the IBF, WBA, and WBO Super Middleweight Champion. She is known for her striking power and technical proficiency. With a 13-1 overall record, her only loss is to Claressa Shields. Shields is a world champion boxer who has been competing in MMA in the PFL. On avenging her loss to Shields, she said:
“That’s the plan. I’m not stupid and I can see why they were interested in me, from the response that me and Claressa got in the ring. So that’s definitely on the cards.”
For her Jun. 8 MMA debut in MMA, the PFL has not yet announced an opponent. But, Marshall has emphasized learning MMA and how much she enjoys kicking. In an interview, she added:
“I’ve boxed for 20-plus years, after doing the same combinations, the same routine. I’m excited to learn something different. I’m excited to start kicking, I’m excited to start grappling, wrestling, that sort of thing. I’m basically starting from scratch. It’s changing it up. I did the same thing for a long, long time. I might take to it, or it could be a total disaster! So we’ll have to see.”